


Old Dog

by calico_fiction



Series: little cuts [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Magic, Military Training, POV Outsider, Paranoia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Canon, Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22185748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calico_fiction/pseuds/calico_fiction
Summary: Loki's first instinct upon learning something new has always been to show Thor.
Relationships: Loki & Thor (Marvel)
Series: little cuts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1121556
Comments: 4
Kudos: 82





	Old Dog

Loki's first instinct upon learning something new has always been to show Thor.

Or, more accurately, Loki's first instinct upon learning something new has always been to _use it on_ Thor. Thor has fallen for it every time before, and he will fall for it again now. It's not that he's stupid, or even foolish, really. But he is a child, and he trusts everything that he loves.

Tyr can tell that Loki has a new trick to play by the way he came swaggering onto the training ground this morning. He's never exactly reluctant, to show that would earn him too much disapproval from his father and his friends, but his enthusiasm is usually muted unless he has some script where he wins in the end playing in his mind. All morning the younger Prince did his best to behave as if nothing was different as Tyr ran the heirs through their drills. Now it is nearing afternoon and the only thing left before it's time for lunch is to spar. Loki is visibly struggling not to grin like the Wolf he is - taken more after his father than either of them care to notice.

"Places," Tyr instructs, pretending to be as oblivious to whatever is imminent as Thor seems to be. Tyr doesn't disapprove of the use of magic in battle, nor does he scorn the mixing of gendered skills. In a real battle one does what one must, and the enemy will do the same. Tyr may be retired from war but he remembers that.

"Lighter on your feet, Thor," Tyr corrects and Thor obediently shifts his weight, though he does it with a bad attitude. Technically Tyr is supposed to refer to the princes by their titles first, but he doesn't and he won't. They are his students like any other, despite that they get this extra one-on-two tutelage, and he'll treat them as such. They'll learn better that way, more than one lesson - and Thor especially needs the second, more and more each day.

"Fight!" Thor rushes forward with a child's version of a mighty roar, as he always does. Loki's grin breaks free and otherwise all he does is brace himself. Tyr tenses, his muscles springing with perfect memory into his own ready stance, preparing to run between them if he needs to. They are old enough to be armed with real weapons now, Thor waving his small axe with less than stellar form. If Loki's spell doesn't work he will be badly injured. At the very least Tyr needs to be ready to run him up to Eir for healing.

One moment Thor is charging, Loki ahead of him, Tyr with his back foot dug into the packed dirt of the training ground already springing him forward. The next moment Loki is cackling like a desert jackal at Thor who is face first on the ground, having passed straight through his brother with no resistance. Tyr stumbles to a halt and his shoulders slump with relief. It always twists up his stomach and his heart to see either of the princes hurt.

"That's cheating!" Thor shrieks as he flips himself over onto his back and sits up. His axe is stuck into the ground. "General-!"

"Loki used the skills he has to give himself an advantage," Tyr interrupts commandingly. Thor pouts mightily, folding his arms across his chest with a huff.

"You didn't teach him that," he complains. Tyr raises his eyebrows and Thor's pout disappears in an instant.

"Maybe," Tyr says, and Thor looks contrite already at his tone, "if you improved your natural gifts on your own time like Loki does you too would be able to bring new strategies with you into my class." Tyr has seen the way Huginn and Muninn - and Frigga - watch Thor so carefully. He doesn't doubt that Thor could know Loki's new tricks before Loki does, if only he would allow himself to learn anything other than what he is so rigorously taught. There is only so much Tyr can do when he is watched closely too.

"Loki." Tyr turns away from Thor to address the younger prince. "You must stop waiting until the last second to try something new. We never have time to incorporate your skills into lessons. My class isn't just a method for you to play tricks." Loki seems chastised but Tyr knows already that he will never listen. War is just a game to these boys, entertainment, and for Loki it's the most fun when there's a twist.

Tyr can only hope they never know any differently, but why would Odin insist his sons be trained at war if he intends his era of peace to last? But these boys won't be like Hela, not if Tyr has anything to say of it - and he does. He may be old, perhaps even on his way to weary, but it's not only children that can learn.

"We have time for one more," Tyr instructs. "Places."


End file.
